Schools to close as Storm Eunice expected to cause 'significant disruption'

Thu, 17 Feb, 2022 - 15:42

Maeve Lee

Storm Eunice is expected to cause “significant disruption” across the country but it will be a “short-lived” affair.

The National Emergency Co-ordination Group met on Thursday to discuss Storm Eunice.

The storm will track quickly across the country on Friday and will cause “significant disruption”, with power outages expected as well as trees down in many areas.

It will move over Ireland on Thursday night and on Friday, bringing very strong winds and falls of heavy rain, sleet and snow.

It is expected to be a “high impact multi-hazard storm bringing coastal flooding, damaging wind and blizzard conditions”, according to head of the National Directorate for Emergency Management Keith Leonard.

Evelyn Cusack from Met Éireann said the storm would first make its impact after midnight on Thursday night.

There will be a risk of flooding in the east, south and west, with all counties experiencing strong winds as the storm moves across the country overnight and Friday morning.

Ms Cusack said it would be “a short-lived affair” but there would be “serious and severe conditions” across the country through to Friday morning.

All counties may see an hour or two of snow but it will mostly impact the North-West, where there may be blizzard-like conditions and poor visibility, particularly during peak commuting times.

The North-West will see this combination of strong winds and continued snow for a couple of hours before it turns to rain, Ms Cusack said.

"But there's likely to be some further snow showers through tomorrow afternoon as well," she added.

As for the rest of the weekend, it will be "pretty windy" and "cold" and there will be a continued risk of coastal flooding in some areas.

School closures

Schools in counties with a red warning in place and with an orange snow warning in place have been advised to close. This includes Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Roscommon.

ESB Networks currently has its emergency response plans in place ahead of Storm Eunice and people are reminded to stay away from overhead power lines that are down.

Bus Éireann and Local Link will not be operating in Cork and Kerry tomorrow.

Irish Rail will operate during the red warning, provided there is no damage, but people are advised to check for cancellations or delays.

Snow ploughs are being prepared in the areas where snow is predicted as are sandbags for areas where there may be flooding as local authorities prepare for the "multi-hazard event".

People in Cork and Kerry are advised to stay indoors for the duration of the storm.

Currently, there is a red wind warning in place for Cork and Kerry from 3am on Friday morning until 8am.

Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wexford, Wicklow, Munster and Galway have been issued an orange wind warning, also from 3am, until 11am, while an orange snow warning is in place for Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo and Roscommon until 3pm.

The entire country has been issued a yellow wind, rain and snow warning, with Met Éireann warning disruption is likely, along with a possibility of coastal and spot flooding.

This will remain in place until 3pm.

Here are the useful numbers and websites you might need during Storm Eunice